We study the scheduling of projects subject to general temporal constraints between activities such that the project net present value is maximized. The proposed algorithm is based on a first-order steepest ascent approach, where the steepest ascent directions are normalized by the supremum...

In recent years, adaptive Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods have become a standard tool for Bayesian parameter estimation. In adaptive MCMC, the past iterations are used to tune the proposal distribution of the algorithm. The same adaptation mechanisms can be used in Simulated Annealing...

The main thrust of this study is the operational scheduling of the continuous coal handling and blending processes when considering multiple, and sometimes conflicting, objectives. A widely applicable generic goal programming model is proposed. Furthermore, assumptions regarding the certainty of...

In this paper simulated annealing algorithms for continuous global optimization are considered.Under the simplifying assumption of known optimal value, the convergence of the algorithms and an upper bound for the expected first hitting time, i.e. the expected number of iterations before reaching...

In this paper we consider a simulated annealing algorithm for multiobjective optimization problems. With a suitable choice of the acceptance probabilities, the algorithm is shown to converge asymptotically, that is, the Markov chain that describes the algorithm converges with probability one to...

In this paper we present a simulated annealing approach for the gas network optimization problem. A gas network consists of a set of pipes to transport the gas from the sources to the sinks whereby gas pressure gets lost due to friction. Further on there are compressors, which increase gas...

In this paper a discrete-continuous project scheduling problem is considered. In this problem activities simultaneously require discrete and continuous resources. The processing rate of each activity depends on the amount of the continuous resource allotted to this activity at a time. All the...